This is a little interlude before Rukia and Ichigo really know each other well enough. In the early days of Ichigo just becoming a shinigami. What one training session could look like.
I did give Rukia some of her powers to do a little bit of healing so it could work with the story. But not enough for a full heal.
Enjoy!
"Ichigo to the left!"
I turned but not fast enough. A large bumpy tail knocked into me. It's white mask with deep dark chasm of eyes with the teeth bared howled with a loud, piercing cry. I groaned hauling myself up.
"Move right!" Immediately I jumped out of the way and felt the graze of a sharp white claws on my forearm. I clenched my teeth.
"Watch your back!" The smack of the tail sent me flying forward rolling on the graveled floor. Coughing and wheezing from the hi, I took a minute to replenish the air in my lungs. From the corner of my eye, I saw Rukia running towards me. Cursing under my breath I pulled myself up regretting saying yes to this in the first place.
Why?
This was training
My training.
To be a substitute Shinigami.
Going great right?
This was her idea and what better way to get the training done than to do so with real hollows. She said it was 'Practical'.
As Rukia reached to where I stood, she looked me over with a sharp stare for a moment before scolding
"You're too slow." My eyes twitched. I've only known her for about a few weeks and she just casually throws insults like they're confetti.
"When there is a hollow moving about and is agile, you need to be just as agile if not more. Keep yourself on alert." I huffed
"Listen I get it. Watch, listen, be more on my toes. Great." I started to walk forward before a dainty but surprisingly strong fingers clasped on my Hadkou. With whatever strength she had, she yanked backwards. My mouth opened in protest but the words for blow out of me as a clawed hand came slamming down on to the ground mere inches to where I was standing. She started to run dragging me in the process before pulling me to my feet. We ran in circles around the hollow evading each attack. She yelled over her shoulders
"I told you! Watch carefully and rely on your senses! If not, you will be crushed like you have been moments ago!"
I yelled back
"Listen! I'm trying! But you are micromanaging!" She came to an abrupt stop and turned around,her finger pointed accusingly towards me
"What you do you mean, Micromanaging!? I'm helping!" I rolled my eyes
"Helping, sure. Micromanaging? Absolutely!"
She looked livid
"How dare you! I do not micromanage! I am making sure you don't die!" Almost nose to nose we continued quarrelling in the middle of ground, unbeknownst to the hollow stalking like a predator hunting a prey.
"And I need a little less micromanaging and more useful advice!"
She poked her thin finger against my chest
"It. Is. Useful. Advice!"
I in turn poked her forehead
"It. Is. Not!" She swatted my hand away.
"Listen you berry-head! I'm training you the way I was trained!" I shouted
"Well, you listen here midget! Maybe the way you were trained doesn't work for me!" She opened her mouth to retort before her eyes went wide. Then I felt it, the sound of a hollow running towards us sending thundering vibrations through the concrete. I acted faster than I realized.
She was smaller than I anticipated, and lighter too. My hand felt massive against her form as it held tightly against her waist. I could feel her breathing in and out faster than usual. Her hands were grasping the cloak as to regain her footing. We were a few feet away from where its white claws scarped the earth away.
"Thanks." I nodded letting her go. She was about to say something else but instead she shoved me out of the way as she jumped in the other direction. The hollow came speeding towards us and narrowly missed getting both of us in one shot. Rukia started running away as the hollow decided to chase after her. She was trying to keep her distance whilst she dodged attacks let and right.
I couldn't find an opening to jump in.
She briefly looked towards me to indicate something but the moment her attention was off her course her foot connected on a rock sending her to the ground. A worried sound came out of my mouth to warn her, but already she turned fast and rolled to the side avoiding the hand coming down fast breaking the concrete in to pieces. Her breathing was heavy and sweat fell down the side of her face. I watched her movements become less controlled and her stamina waning. I remembered her casually mentioned being in the giga was hard to learn to live in. It must have been the changes from being a Shinigami to a human body. Her soul was having difficulties adjusting.
Finally, she darted to the right abruptly and an opening appeared. I ran swinging my sword at the feet missing it by mere inches as it jumped off the ground. It came down faster swinging its tail straight towards my chest sending me flying.
I groaned as I tried to pull myself up.
"Ichigo!" Rukia yelled.
Worry about yourself you idiot
Is what I wanted to say. But the wind was knocked out of my lungs. I felt the spiritual pressure come in heavy and looked up seeing the hollow clasping its claws together in order to crush me. Throwing my sword above my head, my shoulders took the brunt of the impact. A crack rang in my ears and the pain shot through my arm. I clenched my teeth but didn't let up. It continued pushing down trying to break my form. But I pushed up despite the pain trying to match its strength. If he got even a millisecond of my concentration it would be fatal. There was no way to jump away without dealing a major blow.
My ears started ringing and my vision blurring.
Damn
He pushed harder and my knees started to give way. My sight began to blacken and my consciousness started to drift.
"Ichi-"
Someones calling?
"-go!"
Where-
"Stay awake!"
Rukia!
My eyes snapped opened
"Ichigo!" She threw a rock in the direction of the Hollow landing it straight in its' eye. It roared fixating his murderous gaze onto her.
Shit!
No no no
"NO!" It moved faster towards her throwing me out of the way. I watch horrified as she dodged the attack. She was luring it away from me! But she has no powers! What the hell is she doing?!
It swiped its large white claws towards her but ended up just grazing her leg. She winced and continued running.
Shit shit shit! This damned woman!
"Ichigo!" She shouted. I started running towards her.
"Come at me!"
Perplexed I stopped . She huffed
"Come. At. Me!" She started towards me with the Hollow hot on her tail.
"Trust me!"
I nodded running towards her sword in hand waiting for her cue.
It felt like seconds became minutes and minutes to hours as all the possible terrible outcomes would happen coursed through my mind.
Closer
Closer…
Closer!
Rukia was near the tip of my sword… and then she dove under?
Rukia skid her way under my legs disappearing behind me and I swung my sword slicing the side of the hollow. Blood gushed out as he cried out. I jumped back giving myself space. It soared into the sky out of sight. Turning around a little more carefully so as to not to take my attention completely off any sight of the hollow.
I saw a tired, bloodied Rukia panting her hands on her knees taking in deep gulps of breath.
I glared at her
"What the hell was that!"
She huffed waving me off
"You could have been killed!"
She now was looking at me, her face clearly annoyed.
"So could you. And yet, here we are. Besides you-…" She took a deep breath "… you figured it out."
I clenched my teeth
"Ru-ki-a.."I started She shook her head
"I can tell you all day the information I was taught. But in an actual battle its less theory and more instinct. You with your thick skull-"
My eye twitched
"-Needs less technical and more tactical." She continued without batting an eye.
Suddenly a cry above them came crashing down sending flying dust clouds hurtling in their direction. Using my arms to shield myself and took a look at my opponent.
"I get instinct when it comes to saving people in a pinch but I need more than that at the moment." Rukia nodded. She watched the hollow then her eyes lit up and she turned towards me
"His tail!"
"Huh?"
The hollow screamed propelling itself to where we stood. Rukia urgently turned to me
"I'll be the distraction!"
"HUH?!" She started running calling out the hollow before I could protest.
"Just get the tail-" She ducked barely an inch before she was impaled.
"It helps him balance and allows him to move easily!" I blinked, she was right!
Rukia started towards me and I ran towards her. I raised my sword and this time she sidestepped to my right. The minute the hollow turned towards her direction and swung my sword down and detached the tail from its body. It howled in pain and tried to run forwards but it was wobbly.
"NOW" Rukia shouted
I jumped in the air and my sword broke through the hollow mask, a clean cut. Immediately the body disintegrated and its cries disappeared. I sighed and groaned as the pain in my shoulder was more pronounced now that there was no immediate danger.
Rukia walked over, well hobbled over. I winced looking at her leg
Rukai noticed my gaze and brushed me off
"It's not big deal." I shook my head.
"You could have been seriously hurt you know." She grinned
"Worried?" I scoffed
"As if anyone would worry about a midget size-". Her hands work fine. They also hit hard too
"GAH! RUKIA!" She grinned. I got up and pain shot up my shoulder. I grunted and fell back down on my knees
Rukia's mischievous expression was replaced with a more concerned one. She hovered over me her hands on my shoulder. Her touch was gentle but knew where place pressure without disrupting the wound. Up close I could see her frown. Worry lines marred her forehead. A moment passed before she spoke, her voice was firm but with care warming the edges.
"Dislocation. Maybe a cracked bone?" She clicked her tongue
"I'll pop it back in and heal you."
I wanted to protest but her glare shut me up. She locked eyes with me to give her the go ahead. I nodded and she snapped my shoulder back into place. I hissed in pain. But suddenly I felt a warmth spread across my injury. I looked at my shoulder and saw a green haze covered it. Rukia was healing me. Her face was scrunched up as she concentrated. Her eyebrow's knitted together and her lips set in a firm line.
It was very …Human.
I always see her as a Shinigami. Someone who is about the job and little else. At school as the girl whose fake persona makes my life a living hell. But here, she looked very ordinary. But not in the bad way. A way where she was like me. I snuck a look and at the corner of her eyes were a few lines.
She smiles.
She doesn't smile much here, at least not genuine.
I wonder what she looks like when she smiles, a real smile. Who were her friends? Her Family? She didn't discuss her life and I have no right to ask. But I am curious all the same. They would have seen her smile, an unguarded one.
From what I've seen though, she doesn't let her guard down much. Which made me question what it really was like back there. Were they all rigid? It sounded like a military camp from what she had mentioned. I suppose personal feelings aren't really the main objective of being a Shinigami. Did she give up a life to become a Shinigami? Did she miss her co workers, friends and family? Or if it was like me, she was stuck in the same old life with no where else to go. My mind wandered and before I knew it the pain was subsiding. Rukia stepped back and I rolled it to see.
It was better, maybe still store but she healed most of it.
"Thanks." I looked towards her and her face looked exhausted and her leg was still injured.
"We need to get that looked at." Rukia shook her head
"I'm all out, that was all I could muster."
I grinned
"I didn't say for you to do it." She was about to protest before I hauled her on my back.
"Lets get going, I live in clinic, we'll find supplies no problem." Rukia seemed too tired to argue.
Sneaking a girl into his house in one thing, sneaking her in the clinic is another. One there is cameras. For security purposes obviously. Secondly, she is bleeding. There will be evidence left behind that someone with an injury was here. Either way we went in threw the window, hiding between the white privacy screen. I pulled to a clean bed angling it in a way that kept Rukia hidden away from the camera's eyes.
I sat her down on the bed as I rummaged through the cabinets for an antiseptic and bandages. She looked very uncomfortable I could have laughed. She really didn't like being taken care of. Since every 5 minutes she would say something along the lines of this-
"Look its healing slightly already, just give me the bandages and we'll call it a day."
Or
"I can walk just fine, look!"
Rolling my eyes I pulled out supplies into a basket .
"You're bleeding and it needs to be disinfected, not just some bandages." I knelt before her and gently held her leg. "Don't exert yourself as it is healing. You may be a Shinigami but I at least have experience in helping people with injuries."
I grinned wickedly
"Maybe you should take the useful advice."
Rukia's head snapped in my direction and I could feel her hot glare directed to my back. I turned with a smug look
"Not great being on the other side huh?"
"Ass" she spat
"Ass I may be but I do know my stuff."
Pulling out the disinfectant I started dabbing lightly on her wound. She winced and I mumbled an apology. Silence blanketed the room as I worked. My hand moved to the right without glancing to grab the bandages and began wrapping them around her leg. Discretely I watched her, glancing occasionally from time to time as I worked with the bandages. Her eyes were glassy with dark circles marring underneath. The lips that were set in a firm line with a slight pull of her eyebrows together. Her thoughts were far away taking all her attention. She was looking out the window where the orange hue of the sunset blanketed outside. Every so often she would blink away the drooping of her eyelids.
I frowned. She never really expressed how she would be feeling, in fact she seemed to brush it off. It didn't matter what she was feeling she wasn't confiding in him about it.
Once I finished, I washed my hands and discarded the bloodied mess. Picking up the garbage with the evidence that someone was hurt in the empty clinic, I threw it in the bin outside. Walking back in rubbing my neck I sighed feeling a bit fatigued.
"There good to go. You should take a moment to res-"
She was on her feet already moving her leg trying to see if it was still useful.
All my hard work…
"Rukia…" She looked up to me
"What?"
"Stop moving you leg." She raised her eyebrows at me and I pointedly looked at her leg. She followed my gaze only to find the red seeping through. I sighed
"This is why you stay where you are told to stay." She frowned and began to walk, well limp, away to the window. I immediately grabbed her shirt pulling her back. She let out a small yelp as I wrapped my arm around her torso, her back pressed into my chest.
She squirmed pushing her hands against my arms. She spat
"What are you doing!?" I sighed as she tried to pry herself out of my grip
"I am trying to make sure your wound doesn't get worst! Where were YOU going?" She scoffed
"I'm going up the room." I raised my eyebrow
"Through the window?"
"Yes through the window!" She said as if my question was dumb. I rolled my eyes
"You do realize you have an injured leg? How do you expect to climb up to my window?" She stilled for a minute then continued to push against me.
"I would make it work." My grip tightened and I jumped through the open clinic window and pulling myself and her up to roof beside my own. I glanced down at her and she was mumbling a plethora of curses. I smirked. She was so easy to rile up, especially when she was wrong. She had a hard time, for the small things, accepting she was wrong. I angled my head to catch her eyes
"Hmm? What was that Rukia?" her head snapped towards me a piercing glare . She opened then closed her mouth. Then opened and closed again before she huffed and sharply spat
"Go in the room."
I grinned
"Go in the room, what?" She turned to me livid.
"GO. In. The. Room . NOW." I shook my head
"Ahh but it seems like its missing something. Starts with a 'P' ends with an 'LEASE'."
This was the most I've seen her ready to pounce someone.
And I was thoroughly enjoying it.
"ROOM. NOW" Snickering I complied. Opening quietly as I didn't want to call attention to me sneaking in the house. The sun was setting and darkness was starting to blanket the room. I stepped in gently trying not to slip on the sheets of the bed. Carrying her as well as trying to be stealthy was not as easy as it looked. Thankfully no one had come in earlier. They would have found a 'dead' me asleep on my desk. A closer inspection would have had EMS called to the house.
I set Rukia down softly as not to agitate her leg and create a loud 'thump' on the ground. Walking towards my lifeless body
(I'm very grateful of the fact that Rukia allowed me to stay in the room rather than the dumpster idea she has been pitching for days)
I felt my soul being pulled towards it. Merging back into my human form felt natural. Rolling my shoulders I grunted. It still hurt but it was getting better. I turned around and found an almost… shy? Rukia. She didn't seem to be moving and it looked like she had something to say. Rubbing the back of my neck I asked
"Whats up?" She crossed her arms and started taping her arm.
Her eyes were everywhere but my own as she mumbled to herself. I frowned,
"Rukia. I can't hear you." She sighed loudly and spoke slightly exhausted
"I need help getting into the closet…. Please." My eyes widened. She was asking for help? And she used please? I looked to the ceiling then outside. Rukia frowned
"What are you looking at?"
"Is there a meteor headed to earth?" Rukia's eyebrow raised slightly. I grinned
"The fact you are asking for help as well means the world is ending." Rukia looked livid.
"You… you…yo-"She resorted to smacking me on the head.
"Fuck! Do you NEED to that!?" She huffed
"Deserved." She hobbled over to the closet. She placed her hands on the mattress inside trying to prop herself up to no avail. I sighed.
Stubborn woman.
"Rukia let me help."
"No" she huffed "I can do it myself" groaning I had no one to blame but myself
"Just let me help…" I walked towards her my hands grasping hers from behind to stop her from trying to pull herself up. She clenched her hands and tried pull away.
"Let me go thank you very much!" I grunted as her squirming kept elbowing me in my stomach. I pushed against her my body pressed to hers keeping her from moving.
"Stop moving around so much." I hissed. She pulled her hands out from under mines and spun around her hands now firmly placed on my chest glaring daggers.
"I will move around IF I want to. So get out of my space berry boy!" I felt my eye twitch
"Well, Midget, if you just LET me help you this would be less painful and I would not have to be in your space." She rolled her eyes
"I don't need help!"
"Yes you do!"
Before she could retort we heard
"Ichi-nii!? Is that you? Is someone else there?"
"It sounds like a girl."
"Karin-chan! Don't say that…. At least not so loudly."
I held my breath
"AHHH IS MY YOUNG TEENAGER BECOMING A MAN!?"
I cursed under my breath.
The noises of their footsteps came barreling up the stairs.
Rukia and I turned back to each other only to find our faces far too close and our position… well, compromising. I threw open the closet door and Rukia turned around right away and I gave her a boost and shut the closet the minute my door opened with a crash.
I didn't dare move.
Yuzu and Karin ran in the room and both stared at me
"….What?" Karin raised her eyebrow
"What are you doing Ichi-nii?"
"Hmm?" I glanced quickly at my position. One leg was in front of the other and my arms were spread across the width of the closet.
"…. Stretching?" Karin didn't look convinced and her eyes moved around the room looking for evidence. Yuzu was confused. I was about to tell them it was nothing but the TV when someone burst through the door
"IIICCHIIGOOOO!" My first met his face immediately.
"AHHHH. I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF HE *HICCUP* IF HE BECAME A *HICCUP* A MAN. " Yuzu was comforting him with soothing words while Karin continued to walk around my room.
I could feel a headache coming on
"Okay listen , no one was here and it was just the TV. I would like to res-"
"Ichi-nii what is this?" I turned to her direction and almost paled. It was one of Rukia's chappy bunny hair clip. It must have dropped out of her hair somehow. I looked to the clip then to my sister.
I was in trouble.
My dad jumped up, miraculously no long sad. He ran to Karin and stared at the clip then back to me
"Ichigoooo….!" His eyes glassy.
Good lord help me.
"You… You have become…a man" Tears formed at the corner of the eyes. Karin continue to look around
"Did she leave?" Her eyes looked at the closed window and then to the closet "Or is she still here?" I stilled.
Shit shit shit. Why does she have to be so damn observant.
My father caught on and decided to move towards the closet.
Hell No
I punched him in the face again.
"Listen there is no girl here, no one is hiding. That belonged to my friend I saw this afternoon. She dropped it and I picked it up. I was planning on returning it to her tomorrow." Karin gave me a look.
I rolled my eyes. Then I smelled smoke.
"Is there something burning?" Yuzu and my father jumped up and ran out the door. Karin remained and I grasped her by the shoulders spun her around.
"Out you go."
She turned around , her eyebrows raised accusingly
"I know you are hiding something Ichi-nii"
"No, I am not. Thank you." And I spun her back around. She smirked
"She must be something else if you're hiding her." I groaned
"No…. there is no one…. Karin please."
She shrugged
"I wont tell dad BUT I'll figure it out myself."
I shut the door and leaned my head against it.
Of all the days they HAD to hear her and I.
The sound of the closet door opened and the person of all my problems and all my answers stared back at me.
"What does 'becoming a man' mean?" I felt my face heat up and my shoulders stiffened.
"Nothing! It means nothing!" She gave me a weird look and shut the door.
Shaking my head it I realized how quiet it had gotten. Walking towards the desk I began to organize it drifting through my thoughts. My dad with his craziness, my sister being a little too good of a detective as well as suspicious of me, the hollow from earlier and Rukia who-
Who ran around trying to save my life… again
Who got hurt trying to save my life. Again.
Who is too stubborn for her own good.
Who healed me when she should have been worrying about herself.
Who prioritizes others before herself. Again.
Who, despite claiming to be a Shinigami only, is very human.
Someone I can trust and someone I hope trusts me.
I realized I stopped my movements. Looking towards the closet I never noticed how much I learned about her in this short while. What surprised me the most was how it didn't feel overwhelming. I didn't make friends easily, everyone always thought I looked scary, that I was a delinquent and it was off putting for people. They steered clear of me and I was never interested in getting to know more people than I already do. But for whatever reason, getting to know her wasn't so bad. I was actually comfortable. Despite all of our arguing, she was one of the first people in a while I could be myself without scaring someone off.
Rubbing the back of my neck I walked up to her closet. raising my hand to knock
Her bright eyes were the first thing I saw.
Inclining my head to the door I said
"I'm about to get dinner, give me an hour and I'll bring yours up." She nodded and shut the door
Walking up to the door I twisted the handle about to pull open the door when the sound of wood sliding to the side and a tiny voice whispering
"Thanks."
And the door shut before I could react.
Grinning I opened the door and left with
"No thanks necessary."
Thanks for reading!